Strawberry Banana Bread

When the warm and sunny days of summer roll around, there’s nothing quite like a slice of Strawberry Banana Bread to capture the essence of the season. This delightful twist on traditional banana bread adds the fresh, vibrant flavor of strawberries, making it a perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack.

We’ll share a simple yet scrumptious Strawberry Banana Bread recipe that will have your taste buds dancing with delight.

Although perhaps not quite as earth-shattering a flavor combination as peanut butter and chocolate, strawberries and bananas do make a delicious pair.

So when a carton of ripe summer strawberries joined a bunch of quickly blackening bananas on our kitchen counter, their fate was sealed: strawberry banana bread was a given.

I started with a modified version of Joanne Chang’s banana bread, (from her cookbook, not the Food Network website; the recipes are slightly different), which has become my go-to recipe. I swapped in whole wheat pastry flour (for the all-purpose), cut down on the sugar (from over 1 cup to 3/4 cup), subbed in Greek yogurt (for the sour cream), and added in chopped fresh strawberries.

The pockets of sweet red berries add both moisture and flavor to an already tender and tasty quick bread, which gets even better after sitting at room temperature (tightly wrapped, of course) for 24 hours.

If you’re an add-in junkie, I bet a few handfuls of white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or semi-sweet chocolate chips tossed into the batter would yield a fabulous result.

I haven’t actually tried it yet, but a smear of peanut butter slathered on top of a toasted slice of this bread would also be a welcomed addition.

That being said, a nice thick slice unadorned is perfectly delectable!

Strawberry Banana Bread

by Lauren Zembron [adapted from Flour’s Famous Banana Bread by Joanne Chang (slightly different than the recipe posted on Food Network)]

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 3/4 cup unrefined granulated sugar, such as evaporated cane juice
• 2 large eggs, preferably organic
• 1/2 cup neutral-flavored oil
• 3 1/2 overripe medium-sized bananas, peeled & mashed (about 1 1/3 cups mashed)
• 2 Tbsp plain yogurt (I used 2% Greek)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup finely chopped hulled strawberries, preferably organic

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving

Calories: 220-250 calories

Total Fat: 8-10 grams

Saturated Fat: 4-5 grams

Cholesterol: 40-50 milligrams

Sodium: 200-250 milligrams

Total Carbohydrates: 35-40 grams

Dietary Fiber: 2 grams

Sugars: 18-22 grams

Protein: 3-4 grams

Vitamin C: 10-15%

Calcium: 2-4%

Iron: 4-6%

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Grease a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.

Mash the Bananas

In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until they are smooth and creamy.

Add the Wet Ingredients

Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.

Add the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract, and mix well.

Combine Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt.

Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures

Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.

Add Strawberries

Gently fold in the diced strawberries. The strawberries will add a burst of fresh, fruity flavor to your bread.

Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Cool and Serve

Allow the Strawberry Banana Bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once cooled, slice and serve. Enjoy your delicious Strawberry Banana Bread!